Parking Lot Design - Expert Investigates Pedestrian Death

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In this case, a woman was struck and killed by a vehicle in a doughnut shop parking lot. A Robson Forensic architect was retained to evaluate the design and maintenance of the parking lot.

Expert Investigates Pedestrian Death in Doughnut Shop Parking Lot

A woman was walking toward a busy doughnut shop in a parking lot, when she was struck and killed by a vehicle driven by a person who had visited the same location every day for more than a year and was very familiar with the layout of the parking lot.

A Robson Forensic architect investigated the design and maintenance of the lot and determined that the parking lot lacked reasonable pedestrian and vehicle controls. The parking lot created dangerous traffic flows that created conflicts of vehicles with pedestrians.

Counter-clockwise flows in the parking lot were created by two fast food restaurants, both with take-out windows, sharing portions of the same lot. Vehicles routinely unexpectedly changed direction within large unregulated areas of the parking lot, which permitted complete U-turns in a single motion. Vehicles entering from the public roadway were able to enter the lot at a high rate of speed. No signage, pavement markings or traffic calming devices were provided to control the movement of vehicles entering and those in open areas of pavement.

Our architect identified that the parking lot did not meet reasonable safety standards and was dangerous in a manner that caused the woman’s death. The case settled favorably for our client.

PREMISES SAFETY INVESTIGATIONS

The premises safety group at Robson Forensic includes experts with decades of experience in the retail industry. These experts worked at every level in the industry, from cashier to store manager.

Whether your case requires the expertise of a cashier, stocker, store manager, or building designer, Robson Forensic can provide an expert with the credentials to match the issues in your case.

Featured Expert

The premises safety team at Robson Forensic investigates matters involving the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of residential, institutional and commercial premises. All of our experts are highly qualified, but depending upon the unique facets of your case, one expert may be better suited to assist with your investigation.

Please contact the head of our premises safety group, Lawrence Dinoff, AIA, to discuss your case and determine which of our experts is best qualified to assist.

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